I hypothesize that the most efficient way to get a golf ball in the cup is to have top (forward) spin to the ball. When a golf ball is hit with a currently used putters the following things are happening:
A strike could be at the mid-point or below the mid-point of the ball. PA1 An initial skid of the ball with strike at mid-point and an initial back spin with a strike below the mid-point. PA1 Then there are contours of the putting surface, and wind direction, if wind is blowing hard. PA1 `a weight distribution formed by a cavity in the upper surface whereby the predominance of the weight of the head is at the heel, toe and bottom portions thereof. This weight configuration is combined with a ball striking face having a loft no greater than three degrees. The weight distribution, acting to lift the ball when it is struck, eliminates the need for a more lofted ball striking face.` PA1 ". . . A golf ball striking face on the head" being "divided into two contiguous transverse face segments, the lower of which is slanted downwardly and backward at about 1-7 degrees, "and the upper of which is slanted upwardly and backwardly at about" 1-3 degrees. It further envisions a non-planar, obtuse angle configuration for the ball striking face and contact being envisioned preferably along the intersection between two contiguous transverse face segments mentioned.
Then the frictional force of the ground stops the skid, back spin, and turns forward momentum imparted by putter into forward rotation of the ball. PA2 Any turning away of the face of the putter head from the intended line would give a side spin to the golf ball (3). And this side spin would take ball away from intended line on which a golfer wants ball to travel.
On a given putting surface (1), slope and its conditions are given; on a given day wind speed and its direction are given, a golfer has no control on these elements. Keeping this in mind the putter head of this invention has design features to reduce side spin, back spin and any tendency to lift the ball and have it to bounce when it drops to the putting surface. It intends to provide an early topspin to provide forward rotation of the ball and less of other three (namely, side spin, backspin and bounce).
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf putter head of this invention.
I have observed many a puts, which have veered away from the intended line of the ball travel even when there were full intentions of hitting along the visualized lines or pathways and the there were no breaks to left or to right from golf ball to the cup.
I have further observed that when a putter (4) is swung as a practice swing, putter strike face (7) remains perpendicular to the path of the swing (FIG. 2). But when a golf ball (3) is actually hit, putter face (7) turns away (FIG. 3) from the intended pathway. This turn of the putter head, how slight it may be, imparts a sidespin to the golf ball. This causes ball to slide away from the intended line, increasing chances of missed putts, some times by a fraction of an inch (or a fraction of a millimeter). Obviously this slide/veer away from the intended line of the direction is more on long puts than on short puts, as ball has to travel more hence it has more distance to slide/veer away from the desired pathway.
Table 1. shows that as the distance of the ball from the cup increases, the angle of the line, that would be tangent to the circumference of the cup, decreases.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ FIG. 4 shows the angles (A) at various distances (L)) Distance, L from the Angle (A) of Center of the Cup, ft The Tangent ______________________________________ 1 10 degrees. 2 5 degrees 3 3.4 degrees 4 2.5 degrees 5 2 degrees 6 1.01 degrees 7 0.67 degrees 20 0.5 degrees ______________________________________
A ball hit one foot from the cup if veers less than 10 degrees, it would be still on a line to the cup, but a ball 10 feet away from the cup even at veer of 1.01 degrees may miss the cup. This shows that as the distance from the cup increases the importance of hitting the ball straight increases.
A search of the prior patents was conducted; the most pertinent patents located are U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,307. Issued to Guerin D. Rife and U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,633 issued to Mr. George Studen.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,307 foresees:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,633 foresees:
A golf club (woods or irons) strike should cause ball to rise. However, my hypothesis is that if any lift is given to the golf ball (3) on putting surface, one loses control on the direction of the ball (FIG. 5). We are at the mercy of the side spin and bounce of the ball when it drops on the putting surface. A bounce slight to the left or slight to the right of the intended pathway; and we lose control on the direction. It takes so little to miss a putt| The golf putter head of this invention, in most of the putting strokes would strike the golf ball above the mid-point (8) of the ball (FIG. 6), thus providing no back spin or any lift to the ball over the putting surface.
A normal putting stroke moves the putter head parallel to the putting surface. Due to the negative loft (13) of the strike face (7) of the putter head of this invention, such a stroke would create contact above the mid-point (8) of the ball (3) (FIG. 6). However, for longer puts, one may end up hitting the ball with an up-swing, plus strange things do happen in the game of golf. FIG. 7 shows that as long as the upswing is less than the negative loft (13), the contact or strike point would be above the mid-point of the ball.
Edges of the putter head (heel (17) to toe (18)) provide an imaginary band (12) within which we want our golf ball to stay on a putting surface without any break to left or to right (FIG. 3) and to drop in the cup. I have observed that this imaginary band (12) is too wide with current putters in use, and any break from the band by the golf ball is more than likely to result in a missed putt. FIG. 9 shows that a shorter length putter head (5) provides easier visualization of a narrower band (12) or pathway to the cup (2) from the golf ball resting point.
Putting is a fine art of `read` (direction, a golfer wants golf ball to take) and `speed` (distance, a golfer wants golf ball to go). Often, a golfer gets so focused on the `read` that the golfer forgets that the putter head is wide and hinged at an awkward point. A little carelessness and golfer ends up hitting ground with a part of putter before putter face hits the ball. This is called `stubbing` the putter. With stubbing golfer loses `speed` (distance). Many a puts (even short ones) have been missed due to stubbing.